The U.S. ranks 1st in tornadoes

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the United States ranks first in terms of annual tornado occurences.

The U.S. ranks 30th in life expectancy

According to the World Health Organization, the United States ranks thirtieth in terms of life expectancy when both males and females are counted.  Japan ranks first.

The U.S. ranks 2nd in copper

According to the British Geological Survey, the United States ranks second in copper mine production. Chile ranks first.

The U.S. ranks 3rd in wheat

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the United States ranks third in terms of wheat production. China ranks first.

The U.S. ranks 16th in reliance on nuclear energy

According to the World Nuclear Association, nuclear reactors generate 20.2% of the electricity in the United States, which is enough to make the United States rank sixteenth in that category. Lithuania ranks first, with 76.2% of its electricity coming from nuclear reactors.

The U.S. ranks 3rd in cellular phones

According to the CIA World Factbook, the United States ranks third in total numbers of mobile cellular phones. China ranks first.

The U.S. ranks 2nd in film attendance

According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, in 1999 the United States ranked second in per capita attendance at movie theaters. Iceland ranked first.

The U.S. ranks 134th in parental leave

According to the Clearinghouse on International Developments in Child, Youth and Family Policies, the United States ranks 134th out of 164 countries in terms of guaranteed maternity and parental leave policies. Slovenia ranks first.

The U.S. ranks 19th in plastic surgery

According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (as reported at nationmaster.com), in 2002 the United States ranked nineteenth in terms of per capita plastic surgery procedures. Switzerland ranked first.

The U.S. ranks 16th in foreign aid

According to Foreign Policy (as posted at infoplease.com), in 2002 the United States ranked sixteenth among the world’s wealthiest nations in terms of per capita government foreign aid assistance. Norway ranked first.